Terrine
A terrine is a loaf of seasoned meat, fish or vegetables pressed into a deep mold, cooked slowly in a water bath and served in cold slices.
Also called Pâté en terrine, Country terrine.
A terrine is a dish of seasoned ground or chopped meat, fish or vegetables packed into a deep rectangular mold and cooked slowly. It is chilled, turned out, and served cold in slices. The mold itself is also called a terrine. A country-style pork terrine is the classic, often lined with bacon and studded with pieces of meat or nuts.
How to do it
These steps are for a simple country pork terrine.
- Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F).
- Mix about 1 kg (2 lb) of coarsely ground fatty pork with chopped chicken liver, egg, garlic, herbs, brandy, salt and pepper. Use about 1.5 percent of the meat's weight in salt.
- Fry a small spoonful and taste it. Adjust the seasoning now, because you cannot once it is cooked.
- Line the mold with thin bacon slices, fill it, press it down, and fold the bacon over the top. Cover with a lid or foil.
- Set the mold in a roasting pan and pour in hot water halfway up the sides. This is a bain-marie.
- Bake for 1½ to 2 hours.
- Cool, then press with a weight, such as a board with two cans on it, and chill for at least 24 hours before slicing.
How to tell it is done
Use a thermometer in the center. A pork terrine should reach an internal temperature of at least 71°C (160°F), or 74°C (165°F) if it contains poultry or liver. The juices around the edges run clear, and the terrine has shrunk slightly from the sides.
How to store it
Keep it wrapped in the fridge and eat it within about 5 days. Cut slices only as you need them.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the water bath. The outside overcooks and the fat runs out.
- Cutting it warm. It crumbles. It needs a full day to set.
- Under-seasoning. Cold food needs more salt than you expect.
In recipes
"Terrine" and "pâté" overlap. In general, a terrine is coarser, cooked in a mold, and served in slices. Fish and vegetable terrines are often set with gelatin instead of baked. Terrines are part of a charcuterie board, with mustard, cornichons and bread.
Terrine recipes
1 recipe from the sites we collect.
Related terms
- PâtéPâté is a rich spread or loaf of finely ground meat, liver and fat, seasoned and cooked. See how chicken liver pâté is made and how long it keeps.
- Bain-marieA bain-marie is a hot water bath that cooks or melts food gently, such as custards, cheesecakes and chocolate. Here is how to set one up.
- RillettesRillettes is meat, often pork or duck, cooked slowly in its own fat until it shreds, then packed into jars as a spread. See how to make and store it.
- CharcuterieCharcuterie is cured, smoked and cooked meat such as ham, salami, pâté and rillettes, often served on a board. See what to buy and how to serve it.
- Internal temperatureInternal temperature is the heat at the center of food, read with a probe thermometer. It is the surest way to know meat, fish and bread are done and safe.
- ThermometerA kitchen thermometer checks the heat of meat, oil, sugar and your oven, so food is safe and cooked how you want. Here is which type to use and how.